Installing a conventional tile floor is a complicated procedure requiring expertise and craftsmanship. First, the existing flooring may have to be removed. Next, a concrete backer board is attached to the sub floor using permanent fixing means, such as screws or nails. Then, a grout compound is applied to the backer board. Tiles must then be immediately and precisely laid on the grout compound. After the grout on the backer board holding the tiles is hardened, additional grout must be applied between the tiles. This process may require several hours or days of drying time, during which time the floor must not be used.
Some previous attempts at modular flooring have not been fully successful. Some prior art modular flooring assemblies do not provide a full supporting structure for the flooring material. This may lead to failure of the flooring assembly as the flooring material may break or bend. Other prior art modular flooring assemblies do not securely hold the flooring material. Some prior art modular flooring systems allow the tiles to shift or migrate resulting in unacceptable performance.